Yreka Miners baseball preview: Miners hopeful for another strong season

Saturday

Mar 2, 2013 at 4:11 PMMar 2, 2013 at 4:16 PM

Bill Choy

After earning a Northern Athletic League title and making it to the Northern Section Division 2 championship game last season, Yreka Miner head coach Jason Freitas believes this year's team has the potential to achieve similar results.The Miners open the 2013 campaign today at a two-day tournament at Fothill High School in Padro Cedro. Yreka will face St. Helena at 11 a.m.During practice on Wednesday, Freitas said he and the coaching staff have worked closely with the 16 members of the varsity team to "try to get all the little things down," and were working on the fundamentals before the season begins. "The guys are ready to compete," Freitas said. In 2012, Yreka went 22-10 overall and 10-2 in the NAL.Back this year for the Miners is senior Christan Charles, who was named NAL MVP last season. He finished 2012 with a .407 batting average and had four home runs, 27 runs, 29 RBI's and 16 stolen bases. As a pitcher he finished the season 6-2 overall with a 1.60 ERA and 84 strikeouts. This year it is a good news, bad news situation with Charles.The bad news is that at the end of last season, he injured his throwing shoulder and found out in January he tore his labrum and can not pitch this year. He elected to wait on surgery until after the season. The good new is his hitting has not been compromised and he will DH and on occasion play first base, Freitas said.Although Charles is certainly disappointed he can't pitch this season, Freitas said he is a consummate team player and is focused on helping the team any way he can. Freitas said that Charles, who he considers one of the best hitters he has had in his time as coach at YHS will be a key to the Miner offensive attack this year. "He wants to do what he can to help us," Freitas said,While the Miners lost some key players, including pitcher Russell Sweet, who now pitches for the College of Idaho, Freitas said the team has retained several key players and are bringing up a number of talented players that were on the junior varsity squad last season. And, speaking of Sweet, he and his team are facing Simpson College in Redding on Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday doubleheader begins at 4 p.m., and Sunday's doubleheader starts at noon.Returning for Yreka are two all-league selections last season in Cody Hoff and Michael Schuler.Hoff, a senior, is expected to be the No.1 pitcher for the Miners after pitching well last season. Freitas said that he believes Hoff has what it takes to be a strong No.1 this year,Schuler, known as an excellent hitter in the leadoff spot, hits well for average and is an elite base stealer.Other pitchers Freitas expects to be key contributors include junior Gabe Durney, junior Kurt Bennett and senior Michel Elfgen. Freitas said it helps to have a deep roster of pitchers and said nine team members have the ability to pitch this season, which is nice luxury to possess.Andy Andreas will start for the first time on the varsity level as catcher. Freitas said Andreas is solid behind the plate and has the potential to be an explosive hitter and should be a spark with his bat,Freitas said while the Miners may not be as top heavy as they have been in previous years they are certainly deep."I think we have the potential for everyone on the team to contribute," he said.A highlight for Yreka this year will be in April when they take part in a tournament in Anaheim. Freitas said they will face elite teams in the tourney and said it's important for the Miners to face new opponents and elite competition, which will help them in league and the playoffs.Next week the Miners host three Siskiyou County teams for scrimmages. On Wednesday, Weed comes to Yreka while Etna comes over from Scott Valley to face the Miners on Thursday. On Friday, Mount Shasta is scheduled to face Yreka. All three scrimmages begin at 3:30 p.m.The Miner junior varsity team began the season on Thursday. The Miners earned a 7-6 come-from-behind win against Shasta of Redding.